NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 Gets Hybrid Cooling on Inno3D's iChill Black Model
by Anton Shilov on December 5, 2016 1:30 PM EST
Inno3D has expanded its lineup of video cards based on NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 graphics processor with an add-in-board featuring a hybrid cooling system using a closed loop liquid cooler. The graphics card comes with a factory-overclocked GPU, whereas the advanced cooler promises some additional overclocking potential for those who plan to squeeze all of the juice out of a GP106.
The Inno3D iChill GeForce GTX 1060 Black is built upon a PCB with a proprietary custom design that is longer compared to that of NVIDIA's reference design and comes with a pre-installed Arctic Accelero Hybrid S AIO cooling system, featuring a 120-mm heat exchanger with a fan. The GP106 GPU runs at 1569/1784 MHz (base/boost), which is a bit higher compared to NVIDIA’s reference cards but is in line with Inno3D’s other factory-overclocked boards based on the same processor. The board is equipped with 6 GB of memory running at 8.2 GT/s and has five display outputs (Dual Link DVI-D, HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4). As for power, the card requires an 8-pin auxiliary PCIe power connector.
| Inno3D iChill GeForce GTX 1060 Black and Reference GeForce GTX 1060 Specification Comparison | ||||
| Inno3D iChill GeForce GTX 1060 Black |
Reference | |||
| Product Name | C106B-3SDN-N5GNX | - | ||
| Stream Processors | 1280 | |||
| Texture Units | 80 | |||
| ROPs | 64 | |||
| Core Clock | 1569 MHz | 1506 MHz | ||
| Boost Clock | 1784 MHz | 1683 MHz | ||
| Memory Clock | 8.2 Gbps GDDR5 | |||
| Memory Bus Width | 192-bit | |||
| VRAM | 6 GB | |||
| TDP | 150 W | 120 W | ||
| Outputs | 1 × DL DVI-D 3 × DP 1.4 1 ×HDMI 2.0b |
|||
| Architecture | Pascal | |||
| GPU | GP106 | |||
| Transistor Count | 4.4 B | |||
| Manufacturing Process | TSMC 16 nm CLN16FF+ | |||
| Launch Date | December, 2016 | July, 2016 | ||
| Launch Price | unknown | $249 | ||
NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 (GP106) graphics chip is popular both among makers of video cards (AIB partners) as well as end-users, as referenced by recent numbers by Jon Peddie Research. Large suppliers of AIBs usually have four or more graphics solutions/cards based on the GP106 in their lineups. Nonetheless, Inno3D seems to be the first company to offer GeForce GTX 1060 with a hybrid air and liquid cooling system. The GP106 graphics processor is a rather good overclocker: with NVIDIA’s own cooler its frequencies can be increased by 200 MHz, whereas with a more advanced air cooler it can run at over higher clock-rates (check our review for more details).
Theoretically, Inno3D’s hybrid cooling system should provide more overclocking headroom compared to air coolers. In this case, the question is how significant that additional headroom is or if the average chip can support it. That being said a better cooling system also means lower temperatures in general and a potentially longer lifespan. Moreover, the hybrid cooling system may also be a bit quieter than inexpensive air coolers, but it requires more space inside the PC.
Inno3D did not reveal recommended price for the iChill GeForce GTX 1060 Black graphics card, but we imagine that it is going to be higher than the MSRP of a typical GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB product, which is $249.
Related Reading:
- The GeForce GTX 1060 Founders Edition & ASUS Strix GTX 1060 Review
- ASUS, Inno3D, & Gigabyte Tease Custom GeForce GTX 1060 Cards
- NVIDIA Announces GeForce GTX 1060: Starting at $249, Available July 19th
- NVIDIA Releases GeForce GTX 1060 3GB: GTX 1060, Yet Not
Source: Inno3D via TechPowerUp.
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FalcomPSX - Monday, December 5, 2016 - link
what i'd really like to see are some full cover AIO video cards. Why do we have to settle for hybrid or go full custom to get the entire card water cooled? I know the cost would be higher, but i think there's a market for something like this, at least on the higher end video cards.JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - link
There is a market, but unlike traditional CPU watercoolers, there is additional necessity to cool VRM components, which would ordinarily be cooled by passing air from a fan. So while the placement of the GPU compared to the mounting holes for the GPU remains consistent, the VRM and power delivery chips vary from board to board, even amongst the same family of GPUs (GTX 970, for example).The best we see is hybrid GPU mounting brackets that accept common CPU AIO kits, such as the NZXT G10 Kraken. It has a mounting bracket to hold modern style NZXT/Corsair AIO watercooling kits, and has a fan to actively cool VRM and memory chips, which would normally have been cooled by the air cooling kit.
JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - link
In essence, what I'm saying is that until there's some sort of standardization for how/where VRM and memory is located onboard for GPUs, I don't expect an AIO watercooling kit to be available for GPUs (so that it's universal), without having to have a hybrid solution with fan.HBM memory being built onto the GPU die will go a long way towards moving memory chips surrounding the GPU in a central and common location, which would benefit from an AIO kit, but that still leaves VRM chips being located in random places from board to board.
Macpoedel - Wednesday, December 7, 2016 - link
That's exactly the reason why an AIB partner could make a full cover AIO cooler, PCB and cooling system are designed (sort of) in the same house. So there are no variations in VRM and memory positions to account for, so long as the cooler remains compatible with Inno3D's own PCB. I don't really see why Inno3D has to settle for a hybrid cooling solution like this one.This makes especially no sense since for GTX 1060's, thermals are rarely the limiting factor, it just depends on the silicon lottery. Any dualslot open air cooler has enough thermal headroom to reach a GPU's maximum clockspeed. This hybrid cooler will not allow any higher clockspeeds than any other cooler, it just takes up more space and keeps the card a little cooler. At least a single slot full cover liquid cooler would enable some different form factors (you require some space for the radiator, but only one PCIe slot).
Ej24 - Monday, December 5, 2016 - link
I didn't see it scanning the article but does this have at least an 8-pin power connector? I thought with all Pascal cards the main limiting factor for OC was power delivery, not heat.TheinsanegamerN - Monday, December 5, 2016 - link
The main limiting factor of pascal is it's inability to go past 2050mhz. All the power delivery in the world wont fix that, as the dual 8 pin, 14 phase VRM 1080s have shown. The stock 1060, as ananadtech showed, can already hit it's max clock ceiling.Cellar Door - Monday, December 5, 2016 - link
Absolutely, the TDP is just not there to warranty a AIO card - sure this is a premium product if the pump and the fan are trully silent. But then again you can already get air cooled 1060 with a large air cooler that is dead silent.As an owner for a r9 295x2 with a sigle 120m rad cooling solution that is perfectly adequate - these just seem really funny to me.
Qasar - Monday, December 5, 2016 - link
tell that to my asus strix GTX 1060.. currently running at 2114 core and 1958 ramMeaker10 - Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - link
That's silicon lottery rather than the PCB.Qasar - Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - link
maybe.. but theinsanegamer.. insinuated that all pascal doesnt have the inability to go passed 2050 on the core ... seems, when i searched to see how fast the 1060 could go. so i could get an idea how far i can push it before i would need to be cautious, mine isnt the only one that can go passed 2050 ....